Wings and Grace
by emeraldandsapphireeyes
Summary: After a battle with Lucifer, Sam and Dean are struck dead. God brings them back as newly formed angels and Dean and Castiel sort though new feelings
1. chapter 1

**Chapter 1**

"Please" Castiel cried

He looked up from their corpses. The corpses of the two boys that had showed him happiness, taught him love, and gave him family.

"Please!" Cas sobbed, his voice breaking while he looked down at their motionless forms. On his knees, tears flowing down his cheeks and splashing into the growing pools of still-warm blood. His father placed a hand on his shuddering shoulder.

"Lucifer is caged, Castiel. The cost was great but why cry over these mortals?" God, Chuck, said. Cas just looked up at him with eyes filled with grief and despair.

"Please," Cas wept, his so voice so raw and full of pain, so against how God programmed his angels, he decided to do something he had never done before. In his eons of existence, he had never made a mortal immortal. And that is what he did now, as he crouched down and laid a steady hand on either boys' foreheads. He called their souls from heaven and transformed them into angelic grace. Cas let out another heart wrenching sob as their bodies were surrounded by glorious white light. When it faded, Sam and Dean were on the ground, newly formed wings spread beneath them. Dean's, a charcoal grey and Sam's, white that were speckled throughout with grey. Cas felt Chuck's hand on his shoulder.

"Be happy, Castiel," he breathed and vanished.

Cas sat in a silent vigil, waiting for his family to awaken. As the sun creates the horizon, Dean let out a sputtering cough and opened his beautiful green eyes. Cas let out a small sound as he watched Dean sit up, Sam still passed out beside him. He glanced around, then stood up unsteadily. Then, noticed his magnificent wings. His eyes widened and he noticed Cas staring at him, tears threatening to spill over once more.

"What happened," Dean groaned.

"You died," Cas whispered, "You and Sammy, you died," and his voice broke. Tears flowing down his cheeks once more. He felt strong arms pull him up and into an iron-wrought hug. Cas clung to Dean, breathing him in, iron and leather. He held on until his tears dried. Dean pulled back enough to see Cas's red-rimmed eyes.

"I'm back and I promise I won't leave again," he murmured and after a second's hesitation, pulled Cas into a deep kiss. It was breathless and wild and lasted for five thunderous heartbeats. Cas pulled back and stared into Dean's gorgeous eyes, then at his slightly swollen, pink lips and kissed him again.

Sam moaned and they quickly pulled apart just before Sam rolled over and sat up, then noticed his wings and promptly fainted. Cas scratched the back of his head as he watched Dean walk to his brother's side, hands in his pockets.


	2. chapter 2

"Dean, what the hell is going on?" Sam asked groggily as he woke up for the second time. He then noticed his wings, again, and jumped a mile high.

"We died," Dean explained simply. Cas cringed at the uncaring tone in his voice. Dean continued , unfazed and didn't even notice Cas's reaction, "and God brought us back as angels for whatever reason." Sam turned to see Cas, watching, and looked at his inky black wings tucked perfectly behind him.

"Holy shit," Sam exclaimed and then pushed himself off the ground. He experimentally lifted his wings off the ground, with Dean following suit. It wasn't hard, his instincts took over and he tucked them in. In the sun, the white shone gloriously in the morning light, like sunshine on fresh snow. Dean, however, stretched his to their full span and Cas noticed how when they hit the light at the right angle, they looked near silver. He looked over at Cas, standing quietly but shifting his weight from side to side.

"So, uh, how do these work?" he drawled curiously. Cas stretched out his own wings, iridescent as spilled oil.

"It's instinct, mostly," Cas trailed off and pushed down hard, shooting off the ground and spreading his wings like glorious sails, he alighted softly back onto the ground. Dean started moving his wings forward and back, getting the feel for them and Cas marveled at his beauty. Sam glanced between them, shrugged, and spread his wings, copying Dean's motions. All of a sudden, Dean shot into the air with a small boom. He spread his wings like Cas had and caught an updraft, his laughter trailing him as he soared higher into the crisp morning air. With a small yelp of surprise, Sam joined his brother in the sky. Cas watched as they flew, laughing and play fighting. Dean noticed Cas on the ground, his wings once again tucked in tightly.

"C'mon Cas!" Dean called to the angel. Cas tolled his eyes and spread his wings.


	3. Chapter 3

"As much of an experience as this is," Sam hollered over the roaring wind, "I would love to get back to the bunker!" He looked pointedly down at his torn and bloodied clothes, Dean following suit.

They looked over to Cas, who waved them over so they didn't have to yell.

With a glint in his eyes, Cas looked at the boys, "You can certainly fly yourselves," he challenged and shot into the stil rising sun. Dean glanced at Sam, his spring green eyes dancing with laughter and shot after Cas, Sam following on the rolling zephyrs.

Riding the wind's currents, the angels raced through the clouds, the ground blurring beneath them. Cas slowed to a stop, his wings flaring, flashing blues, greens, and violets. The boys, quite clumsily, stopped close by.

"Landing is... a bit more difficult," Cas explained, "so i'll lead by example, follow me." He banked sharply, spiraling down in a series of tight loops. After a brief wait, Dean followed, then Sam. When Cas got close enough to see the cracks in the pavement, he spread those ebony wings once more and landed smoothly into a casual walk. He turned around in just enough time to watched Dean land and roll to a stop, a whirlwind of feather and flesh. Sam, still in the air, burst out in a laugh, which led to him crashing into a large, dying oak. Dean's low rumble of a laugh echoed through the air, even though he was still dusting himself off. Still in the tree, San was struggling to right himself but his wings were making it much more difficult, snagging on every branch and leaf. With a resonating crack, the branch supporting him snapped and he tumbled to the ground.

"Karma's a bitch isn't it, Sammy?" Dean called, nearly in tears with laughter. But, thanks to the angel grace now flowing beneath his golden skin, Sam's pride was the only thing bruised. The humiliating display had earned a rare huff from Cas, who was watching off to the side, unruffled, a small smile gracing his lips. Sam glared at the two, albeit half-heartedly, and stalked into the bunker, ivory wings tucked in behind him. Dean glanced at Cas, his cerulean eyes filled with something Dean couldn't decipher, especially because a breath later, Cas ducked his head and followed Sam into the bunker, Dean following.

They met in the kitchen, Dean absentmindedly sipping a beer.

"So, Cas," Sam started, "Can our wings disappear or do regular people just not see them?" Cas concentrated for a moment and his wings vanished. Wide eyes greeted him when he looked up, curiosity blooming.

"They're not gone, just in between the folds of existance and reality," Cas explained, "another way that we 'fly', by essentially folding the cloth between point A and point B and taking a step through." The two brothers looked more confused. "I can show you how to do it," he offered, and held out a hand. Dean nearly lunged across the table to grab it, his eyes looking into Cas's, who was momentarily stunned. He quickly shook it off and murmured, "close your eyes." Cas let the sensation of his wings vanishing wash over Dean, the rough fingers tightening in his hand. Too soon, the process ended and Cas pulled his hand away.

Dean looked up at Cas, "I think I've got this." He concentrated, screwing his eyes shut and after a moment, his charcoal wings vanished. He looked up, a glimmer of pride in those eyes Cas had looked into after that breathless kiss they had shared, the eyes he'd fallen in love with as he pulled the man out of hell.

"Sam," Cas said, turning away from Dean, and offering his hand to the younger Winchester. Dean watched as Cas showed Sam how to vanish his wings. Sam and Cas opened their eyes, and Sam's brow furrowed as he focused on vanishing his wings. A minute passed and his dove white wings were gone.

"That's such an odd feeling," Sam marveled, "they're there but they're not."

Cas looked at the brother, "you can practice that whenever you wish. To call them back simply find the fold you hid them in and tug it open, essentially." Both Dean and Sam started to search for that fold, Dean biting his lower lip. Cas couldn't help but stare, and those wings reappeared, along with a satisfied smile. Sam's appeared seconds later.

"There's much to learn but I think we could all use a shower and change of clothes," Cas continued. He looked pointedly at the Winchester's filthy clothes and turned toward his own room, Dean's gaze following him until he walked out the kitchen door.


	4. Author Note

Hello! Thank you for reading my story and I know there are quite a few mistakes within the first few chapters. My computer is broken so I decided to start this fic on my phone and when I went back to fix the errors, it corrected them on the app but not on the published story. I don't know how to fix this but I'm working on figuring it out. Thanks for bearing with me.

-emeraldandsapphireeyes


	5. Chapter 4

Dean, freshly showered, lounged on his bed, the TV blaring in the background. He watched it mindlessly, not paying attention to whatever was happening. A knock on the door pulled him out of his daze.

"Come in," he called to whoever was outside. Sam's head popped in.

"I'm heading out to grab some things, you need anything?" he asked. Dean shook his head andSam retreated back into the hall, pulling the door shut behind him. He walked down the hall and into the garage, taking one of the Men of Letter's cars.

His socks made no sound as he padded through the well-lit bunker halls to the kitchen. He's already had four beers and wasn't even the slightest bit tipsy. He wanted to take the edge off but with his new life force, it was taking a hell of a lot more to do that. He pulled open the fridge and grabbed another IPA. He turned around and noticed a familiar figure standing in the doorway.

"Hey, Cas," he mused, leaning casually against the fridge door. He fidgeted with the edge of his shirt.

"Hello, Dean," Cas crooned, taking a few slow steps forward.

"So, uh, about that thing, the thing that happened after I woke up," he stammered, his gaze dropping to the floor. Seemingly determined to not look at the angel standing before him.

"What about that?" Cas purred, his voice low. Chills danced down Dean's spine as Cas stepped closer.

"Well, I," he trailed off as he looked up at Cas who was now less than arms reach away. Emerald eyes met sapphire ones. Cas stepped closer once more, their gazes still locked. Another step, and another, and another. Until he was close enough to see every detail in those gorgeous eyes.

"Cas," Dean started, but was cut off when Cas surged forward and captured his lips. In the sudden burst of emotion, Dean's wings burst back into the present and wrapped around the two of them. He moved a hand from where it was holding Dean's waist to run through those gorgeous feathers. Dean moaned at the touch and Cas smiled against his mouth. Cas called his wings and layered them over Dean's, shrouding them in darkness. The two angels stood, grey wings overlapped by black ones. Cas continued to run his fingers through Dean's wings, eliciting more moans. Cas pulled away for a moment, resting his forehead against Dean's their breath's mingling. They stood for a moment, before Dean grabbed his tie and pulled their lips back together. Dean hit the table and braced a hand against hit. Cas brushes his tongue against the seam of Dean's mouth, which opened and he swept in. Cas started to trail kissed down his neck. The door to the bunker slammed and they jumped apart, a blush gracing Dean's cheeks. Cas's night-dark hair was mussed from Dean's hand.

"I'm going to head back to my room," he breathed and grabbed his beer, walking quickly out of the room and leaving Cas standing there. The raven-haired angel went to call after him, but the name died on his lips as Sam strode into the kitchen, arms laden with groceries.

"What's up, Cas," he asked casually.

"Nothing," he replied and strode put of the kitchen. Sam shrugged and turned to put the beer in the fridge.

Cas stalked through the halls, shoes echoing off the concrete floors. He stopped outside of Dean's room and raised his fist to knock.

Before he could, Dean called out, slightly muffled through the wooden door, "I know you're there Cas, just come in." Cas twisted the knob and stepped in. Dean was laying haphazardly on the bed, wings draped beneath him. The beer he'd grabbed earlier lay untouched on the nightstand. Dean continued his staring match with the ceiling, like he couldn't be bothered to look at Cas. They waited in silence, neither of them deigning to speak first.

"Need something?" Dean jeered, his voice slicing through the silence like a knife.

"Dean, I," Cas started and was cut off by Dean, but not by another kiss.

"You what? Want to know what that kiss was about? If I feel something for you?" he hissed, fury and disgust lining every word.

"I, well, yes," he stammered.

"It was nothing," Dean snarled, "heat of the moment and all." He let out a cold chuckle. Cas presses his back against the wall next to the door, his hand shaking on the door handle.

"Let's pretend it never happened," Dean sneered, the icy dismissal clear enough.

"Of course," Cas whispered, his voice trembling. He yanked the door open and fled into the hall, vanishing into the folds of the universe. Dean didn't go after him. He didn't care. He did not care. Just as he had said, heat of the moment and all. Right?


	6. Chapter 5

After the strange encounter with Cas, Sam headed to his rooms, the bags that hadn't been for the kitchen filled with fresh toiletries and drugstore hair products. In the quiet of his room, his mind drifted. After a while of organizing his bathroom, his thoughts had drifted back, continually, to the weird tension he could practically slice whenever Cas and his brother were in the same room. _Maybe they were in a relationship._ What was intended as a joke actually led to a sudden realization. He sat bolt upright as he recalled all the day's events that pointed to that possibility. There were so many signs how could he have missed them! He had thought nothing of them in the moment. How when he had woken up, Cas couldn't pull his eyes off of Dean and his wings, he had given Sam a quick once over and slide his gaze right back to Dean. When Cas was teaching them to vanish their wings, Dean had nearly knocked Sam over in his one-sided race to grab his hand first. All the times he noticed one staring at the other. And last night in the kitchen, Cas, with his hair messed up like he, or more likely Dean, had run his hands through it and after Cas left, he had turned toward Dean's rooms and not his. He knew Dean would deny everything. Sam had suspected him being bisexual for a while now, since, well, Dean met Cas. But, he already knew Dean's answer would be a firm hell no, so he went to find Castiel.

Dena had fallen asleep after everything that had happened last night. He woke up wrapped in his wings. He stretched them open, sunlight and morning chill greeting him. He vanished his wings and sat up, still tired. He thought angels didn't have to sleep, he'd have to ask Cas about that. _Cas._ The name clanged through him, along with a tidal wave of emotion washing through him. Nope. Not happening. Dean shoved that wave back, deciding to ignore it because he didn't like guys. He wasn't gay, or bi.

 _But you kissed a guy_ the voice in his head crooned, _and even better, you liked it._

 _I did not_ Dean retorted, trying desperately to shove an image of blue eyes out of his mind.

 _Liar_ the voice hissed, _admit it, you liked it!_ Dean shoved that voice out. He stretched his neck, the joints popping. He went to change out of yesterday's clothes, all thoughts of Cas shoved into a faraway corner of his mind.

Dean was tidying up his room when a knock sounded at the door, followed by Sam's voice, "Hey, Dean. Have you send Cas? I can't find him anywhere."

Dean didn't reply right away and unbeknownst to Sam, that name had frozen him. He shook himself out of that lapse and replied stiffly, "No, I haven't." His voice was distant and strained, something which Sam noted with a smirk. Dean heard Sam's footsteps fading and relaxed. God, he never should've kissed Cas. Everything was way too complicated now.

On the edge of a quite, clear lake outside of a small Colorado town, Cas sat, watching the frost melt in the silence of the morning. A few birds called back and forth, chattering about the fast approaching winter. His phone rang, shattering the still air. He prayed it wasn't Dean, not after what happened the night before. He pulled it out and let out a sigh of relief when he saw Sam's name.

He answered, "Hello, Sam," he greeted. His breath clouded in front of him, as it had all night. After the argument with Dean he'd immediately flown here, and sat all night. His heart had been broken last night.

"Cas, hey, where are you?" Sam replied, a whisper of worry in his voice.

"A lake outside of Beuna Vista," he stated, "why? Do you need something?" As much as he hates Dean at the moment, the brothers were still his family.

"Yeah, I actually have some questions. Can I meet you somewhere?"

"I'll come grab you." Cas hung up, took a breath, refolded the universe to step through to the bunker. He appeared right next to Sam, placed a hand on his shoulder, and before Sam could do anything more than gasp, they were back on the lake shore.

"Holy shit," Sam spluttered, stumbling on the rocky shore.

"You had questions?" Cas inquired, sitting on a tree stump.

"Right, yes," Sam said, still regaining his bearings. He sat on the ground across from Cas. "What's going on with you and Dean?" Sam implored innocently. Cas went utterly still. Sam pressed on, "You can tell me," he coaxed, "I know something is. I'm not blind and you two aren't exactly subtle." He looked up at Cas, beseeching him with those puppy dog eyes.

Cas shook his head slightly and looked down at the brother, "It's nothing. At least, that's what Dean told me last night after we," he trailed off, hurt flashing in those eyes as he recalled what transpired the night before. He sucked in a sharp breath, "After we kissed." He buried his head in his hands. Rocks shifted as Sam got up and moved to sit beside him.

"Cas, this will be," he paused, searching for the right words, "difficult, for Dean to accept. Let me talk to him. I've suspected there was something between you two for years now." Cas looked up at him, a mixture of hope and hurt gleaming in those oceanic eyes.

"It will all work out, Cas," Sam promised. He would get Dean to admit he loved Cas, not only for Cas's sake, but also for Dean's. Whenever Dean was around the angel he was calmer and happier, like a giant weight had been lifted from his shoulders. He let out a small smile, remembering how those school girls had predicted this all those years ago.

Cas flew them back to the bunker. They landed outside Sam's room, Dean's a few doors down. Sam put a hand on Cas's shoulder and offered a reassuring smile. He walked into his room and closed the door with hardly a click. Shoes clicking faintly, Cas walked down the hall, each step a marathon. He turned on his heels to face Dean's door. Breathing deeply, he raised his hand and knocked. Once. Twice. A pause. The red-painted door swung slowly open, revealing Dean muscled form, clad in a tight grey t-shirt and black jeans. He said nothing, upright and rigid. Cas didn't speak either, no sure of what to say to the man who had ripped his heart out hours before. Silently, Dean stepped back, pulling the door with him, a silent gesture for Cas to enter. He stepped through the doorway. The door clicked shut behind him.

Cas leaned faux casually against the closed door, eyes darting around the room and refusing to land on Dean. After a minute of stiff silence, Dean finally deigns to speak.

"Cas, I'm sorry," he conceded, "it's just-just," he trailed off, running his fingers through his hair.

Cas walks over to him and puts a hand on Dean's solid shoulder.

"Dean, I love you. I'm sorry if I was too... forward," he offered, "but I just, I couldn't help myself, I mean, you just- you drive me crazy sometimes."

Dean stood up slowly, "Cas." He said. His voice was low, an offer and an answer. "Cas," he said again, stepping closer to the angel. His angel. "Cas," he said a final time, his voice breaking, and pulled the angel into a hug, breathing in his scent. He smelled like the winter wind, and Dean couldn't get enough of it. "I love you," he breathed. "I love you."

"I love you too, assbutt," Cas grinned. _Finally. Finally!_ Dean tilted his chin up with gentle hand. He brushed his thumb over Cas's soft pink lips. Cas's impatience grew and he fisted Dean's shirt and pulled them roughly together. The kiss was soft and lovely and wonderful. They pulled apart, breaths mingling in the inches between them.

Dean smiled softly, "I don't know why this took me so long. I'm sorry, Cas. I've-I've loved you for a while, I know I have and I was too much of a coward to admit it. I'm sorry," he confessed.

"I would have waited an eternity for you."

Dean waited a moment and grabbed Cas's tie, tugging him close, shattering the tender moment with a fiery kiss. It was everything they'd ever had between them, every longing glance and shared smile. Cas deepened it and Dean pulled them both down onto the bed. Cas pulled himself over Dean and pushed him down into the mattress. Cas pulled Dean's shirt up, breaking their kiss only long enough to pull it over his head. He ran his hands down Dean's now-bare chest. Dean ripped Cas's white button down apart and buttons went flying. Cas shrugged it off, along with his tie. Both sets of wings sprung from their backs, Cas's spreading wide and brushing the walls. Suddenly, Cas got up, and stalked over to the light switch, clicking it off. He turned back to Dean. Their moans echoed throughout the rooms late into the night.


End file.
